Beauty in the glade
by Red Handed Jane
Summary: Weary and alone in Fangorn Forest, Pippin stumbles upon a beautiful elf in a glade.


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**Title: Beauty in the glade  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize as Tolkiens, I do however own Tarrin.  
  
Authors Note: Just something I thought about writing. I took some liberties and changed some of what went on in the book (and yes, I've read them). I know that Merry and Pippin were in fact together in Fangorn forest and in fact in the company of a certain ent, but to achieve what I wanted that had to be changed. Review. By the way, I hope that everyone likes Tarrin, because she's a character that I took from future chapters of Black as midnight.  
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Fangorn forest was always frightening, but Pippin had learned that it was even more so at night. He was all alone and wandering about on an empty stomach, listening intently but hearing naught but the crunch of dead leaves beneath his hobbit feet and the whispering of the trees to one another. Over the time he had wandered the wood he had grown accustomed to trees that "spoke" to one another, he wasn't comfortable with it, but he had grown accustomed to it. And now as he walked trails that were long forgotten to anyone but the trees of the forest a great weariness filled his heart. It had been long since he had seen his friend Merry and he was beginning to feel like he would never again see him or their beloved home. He outwardly sighed when he thought of the home he had left behind, he had to swallow down the thought of never again seeing it, as one would swallow down bile that threatens to reach their lips...Over fields, through enchanted woods, past streams and through valleys of singing and laughter and that was where his home lie. He remembered the laughter of the valley, it had come from the lips of elves, and it had been lovely, but at that moment even elven laughter had not quite filled the void that had taken refuge in his heart...only the shire could fill that void. He remembered the laughter that had graced the hills of the shire for all the time that he'd been born. Throughout his travels he had only to think of his home and the feeling of safety would be upon him, then of course he had previously been protected by four warriors, three close friends (who were also hobbits) and one very ill tempered wizard.  
  
Laughter.  
  
Pippin ceased his steps and held his breath.  
  
Real Laughter.  
  
Had he imagined it? Surely his thoughts had not taken him that far, for him to be imagining elven laughter so clearly. Again, he heard it. Still holding his breath, Pippin followed the sound. He tried desperately to remain silent, but even hobbits make noise while "staggering" through the woods. Pippin staggered to the edge of a clearing of trees, and sure enough it was bathed in light. It was the same strange light he had seen in Lothlorien and Rivendell before it, the same light that followed Legolas at night. And now it danced about a beauty with long brown waves for hair and fresh milk for skin. Pippin smiled lazily and tilted his head as he noted that her lips were like flower petals fresh after rain and her eyes like two stars placed within middle earths reach by the gods themselves. Never had Pippin seen such beauty as was before him now. White flowers were sown into her hair and a belt of silver hung from her slim waist.  
  
Pippin drank in the sight of her, and when he heard her begin her song of mirth he gasped out loud at the pure beauty of her voice. Again he held his breath. Hoping that she had not taken note of him, when she continued her song he was relieved. She danced, sang and laughed, and all for the trees surrounding her. She stepped further from Pippin, she walked on bare elven feet that knew and loved the earth she walked. Pippin stepped closer breaking a fallen branch in the process. His heart thumped in his chest when the silver beauty ceased her song, and her laughter came no longer.  
  
She heard him; he just knew that she'd heard him.  
  
Slowly and gracefully she turned. Raising one delicate dark eyebrow towards the brush Pippin hid behind. Without any real investigation she turned and began to make her way from the clearing but was stopped by the sudden sounds of something bursting through the brush. Quickly she turned and with the turn came a gasp from her own lips. What she saw surprised her indeed. She had expected that someone had been watching her, but this someone had seemed but a child, and a human child at that, she knew no elves with hair that could rival those adorable curls, when she looked down at his feet she saw that they were without covering, and although she often went about in that fashion she doubted that a human child would find it appealing. She backed away slowly but stood in the glade out of sheer curiosity. The child had his hand reached out to her and a look of longing on his face. Her heart melted.  
  
"P-Please, your song was beautiful and your dance was lovely to behold. They made me forget my troubles."  
  
"And what are your troubles little one?"  
  
Pippin found that the sound of her voice calmed him to an almost peaceful state. And although it would have served him just fine in his mind to stand there and be consumed by this beauty for all time he brought himself to answer.  
  
"I've been lost in this forest for some days now, I've lost my friend and have no food."  
  
At the mere mention of food Pippin heard his stomach grumble in protest.  
  
The elf heard it too, and at that moment Pippin knew that there was no sound more beautiful then the sound of her laughter floating on the nights air.  
  
"I can help remedy your hunger, but sorry as I am, I have seen no one that might be your friend."  
  
Pippin watched as she walked to the side of the clearing and reached into a small bag, upon returning to him she handed him bread with some cheese, he took it and nodded gratefully, devouring the food in seconds. When he swallowed the last bit down he saw it fit to introduce himself.  
  
"I'm Pippin, from the shire. A hobbit." She smiled down at him; he said it with such beaming pride.  
  
"And I am Tarrin, of Mirkwood." And as an afterthought she added. "An elf."  
  
Upon closer inspection Tarrin found that this _hobbit_ was not a child at all.  
  
"And what is a hobbit, if you don't mind me asking?"  
  
"Shire folk...you know, small, big hairy feet, curly hair, insatiable appetite."  
  
Tarrin' brow furrowed in thought. For this Pippin found her to be even more beautiful.  
  
"Forgive me, I've never heard of such a creature as you."  
  
Pippin sighed and his shoulders slumped. "That doesn't surprise me a bit, no one's heard of hobbits before."  
  
Tarrin smiled and once again Pippins world became full of happiness.  
  
"Tell me, are all hobbits as adorable as you?"  
  
Pippin found himself blushing furiously at the compliment.  
  
"W-well, um...Yes." He piped.  
  
"Well then, I hope my travels take me to the shire one day."  
  
Pippin opened his mouth to speak when the ground shook and a voice that held in it the rumbling sounds of the earth and the age of the oceans within it called out.  
  
"Tarrin, where are you child?"  
  
Pippin noticed the trees once again begin to whisper to one another, this time they were louder.  
  
Tarrin turned quickly toward the sound of the voice and called back to it. "I'm here old friend, standing amongst the trees and speaking with a shire child."  
  
Tarrin turned back toward Pippin but found that he no longer stood in the clearing.  
  
Pippin smiled again as he watched Tarrin' face wash over in confusion. He had not found his way, and he would be completely alone again in mere seconds, but Tarrin had put a smile on his heart. He knew that he would find his way, and all would be well. And for years to come he would dream of the silver beauty that had danced and laughed in the clearing that beheld no darkness...  
  
He was alone again.  
  
His stomach grumbled.  
  
He was hungry...  
  
**P.S.** That Pippin is always hungry, isn't he...Poor thing, it just adds to his adorableness...is that a word? Adorability, that's it. Review, review, review.


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